Inner Wars
by Winnifred Daquer
Summary: The war is over, but another war still brews. It lies within the sparks of Autobots and Decepticons alike. It is the inner war that one wages against one's own darkest desires that we hide and paint over during the daytime.
1. Drone

_**Inner Wars**_

oOo

The powers that be

Made me and you.

They made the mistake

And made one two.

oOo

Preface: Drone

Drone, Noun: 1: The male of a bee (honey bee) that has no sting and gathers no honey 2: One that live off the labors of others: a parasite 3: A pointless aircraft, plane, helicopter or ship controlled by radio signals.

oOo

Scorponok's golden optics looked at Optimus with pain written clearly on them.

The Autobot leader didn't even bother to aim his gun at the pitiful looking creature. Parts of the exo plating were gone, energon coated the scorpion drone's body and it was releasing static laced churrs and whines. Optimus shuddered at the sound but nonetheless transformed and opened his passenger door to the drone. Scorponok scuttled into the cab, weakly beeping and shutting his systems down, tail curled around his body like that of a large earth feline.

Optimus sighed and activated his holoform, beginning to drive across the desert to the Autobot base. He'd have Ratchet look over the drone and see what the medic thought of it. Optimus' holoform was a tall Caucasian male, in his early thirties, with dark brown hair with red and blue highlights in the bangs. His eyes were blue and had a pair of sunglasses over them and Optimus wore a blue denim jacket and jeans with a pair of mid-calf high brown cowboy boots. Suddenly there was a crackle and another holoform appeared, causing Optimus' form to jump in surprise.

It was a teenage boy, probably no older than fifteen human years, with a long gold braid falling to his ankles. His skin was a golden brown and his eyes were a sultry honey gold. The expression on his face was nothing less than predatory. Scorponok's holoform wore the shortest pair of shorts Optimus had ever seen on a human and a loose tan tank top that was so wide that the left sleeve partially fell off of his slim shoulder.

Optimus' holoform reached over to push the young man away when the smaller male slid a hand up the driver's arm, causing Optimus' skin to tingle pleasantly. Scorponok's holoform pouted before grinning deviously and leaning forward to run a hot, wet tongue over the dashboard.

Optimus slammed on the brakes.

"What the frag?!"

Scorponok's robotic form was offline still, barely showing signs of life, but the holoform was working perfectly. Not that this wasn't impossible, mechs could utilize their holoforms even if they were in stasis lock. A holoform was like a secondary body for a processor and spark to move around in while a body was damaged or undergoing repairs. It was also useful when a Cybertronian needed to maneuver in a smaller city or planet, like now.

Scorponok's holoform chirruped and tilted its head back, pulling the shirt's neck down to reveal a glowing yellow light in its chest. Optimus' eyes widened when he saw the spark before looking away shamefully. Scorponok leaned forward to touch his spark to the radio and air conditioning controls, sending a faint, gentle pulse to Optimus' engine and spark. Slim finger wracked over the controls, accidentally turning them on in the middle of a song.

_Its like you're a leech_

_Sucking the life from me_

_Its like I can't breathe_

_Without you inside of me_

_And I know _

_I let you have all the pow'r_

_And I realize _

_I'm never gonna quit you over time._

_Its like I can't breathe_

_Its like I can't see anything_

_Nothing but you_

_I'm addicted to you_

_Its like I can't think_

_Without you interrupting me_

_In my thoughts_

_In my dreams_

_You've taken over me!_

_Its like I'm not me…_

_Its like I'm not me…_

A shudder wracked the semi and the holoform grabbed Scorponok's holoform and forcing it away from the sensitive controls.

"No." Optimus stated firmly, beginning to drive again. Scorponok's holoform looked hurt before flickering out of existence.

The rest of the drive was peaceful except for the deepened rumble of arousal in Optimus' engine. What had provoked that reaction?

Scoponok x OP = Perceptor

Starscream x Cliffjumper

Ratchet x Mirage

Barricade x Bluestreak


	2. Bond

oOo

Bond 1: 1: Something that binds or restrains : fetter 2: a binding agreement : covenant

Bond 2: To cause to cohere

Bond 3: Bound in slavery

oOo

"Well, Optimus, I haven't had to treat a drone before, but from old files I managed to find I think I could explain a few things." Ratchet placed a datapad before Optimus as he cast the scorpion drone in the corner a nasty look. Scorponok had attached himself to Optimus and no one else. The drone would sit in a corner of whatever room Optimus happened to be in, following the large cybertronian through the halls of their base and even recharging in Optimus' quarters, curling around the huge mech by latching his legs on Optimus' sides so that his chest was pressed to Scorponok's smaller frame with that long, lethal tail curled around the large mech's waist.

The first night it had happened Ratchet, Ironhide and Bumblebee had broken into Optimus' quarters when a wordless distress signal was sent by the commander. They had found Optimus lying on his bed, optics bright as he stared down at the small drone chirring and clicking happily on his chest. Ratchet had attempted to remove Scorponok, along with Ironhide's help, but the drone had just clung tight enough to dent and puncture metal.

"And?" Optimus looked over the report, but Ratchet could see the medical terms were flying straight over his leader's head.

"Well, drones are of decepticon origin, so you'll have a bit of explaining to any new arrivals." Ratchet pointedly looked at Optimus, who nodded, all bit grinding his dental plates. "Also, the reason Scorponok is so clingy to you is because he's trying to form a bond."

"I kind of figured that out when he showed me his spark the day I found him." Optimus shuddered. "He's also been acting… Odd. In the night he'll start whining and keening, as if he's trying to get my attention, and his spark will heat up." Optimus frowned and looked at Ratchet. The medic shuffled and chuckled before looking away.

"Well that leads nicely into the next little tidbit I found…" Ratchet looked at Optimus and sighed. "Having a drone is the equivalent of having a bondmate. When Blackout passed Scorponok was left alone with an incomplete bond. That has caused his body and mental state to go into what I think the humans would call "heat"." Optimus' optics flickered slightly as he did an internet search on animal heat and he blanched, optics widening in utter shock.

"You mean to tell me that Scorponok is… Asking for a male?" Ratchet looked away from Optimus again.

"Not just any male, Optimus." Ratchet nodded at the curled up drone in the corner. "He's asking for you, and if he doesn't get you then it's just going to continue."

"So you're telling me to just let him do the deed? Bond with him then go about as if everything was normal?" Optimus was quickly becoming enraged and had roused Scorponok from his sleep. The drone glanced over at Optimus, scanning him over before shuttering optics.

There was an electric zapping noise and Optimus and Ratchet jumped at the sight of another transformer standing next to the desk between them. Scorponok had activated another holoform, this one cybertronian. Optimus looked over the dull gold plating, noticing that this form was almost femme-like, though it lacked the typical bosom of a femme. A visor covered yellow optics, the glass glowing faintly. The long metal tail swished and clicked against the floor. Optimus stared at the holoform's hands as they rose to press against the semi's grill before moving to the exposed wires and the partially revealed spark chamber of Scorponok's own chest.

Optimus couldn't help but think that Scorponok was a particularly promiscuous drone if he could be deemed sentient. Showing off ones spark like that was something that only pleasure models did and it was pretty much the equivalent of a human female wearing an extremely low top or a small bikini. Scorponok clicked and looked at Optimus pleadingly, thrusting his chest forward to clang against Optimus' grill.

Ratchet chuckled and shook his head, turning away.

"I'll leave you two lovebirds." The medic snorted and Optimus cast him a betrayed glare before slowly returning his attention to the drone holoform before him.

Scorponok's derma were parted and his head was tilted so as to reveal a tantalizing bundle of neck cables. The drone holoform pawed at Optimus' chest, trailing fingers over the sensitive grill and causing the semi to shudder. Scorponok leaned forward, pushing Optimus onto his desk and straddling his waist, bending over to lavish attention on the grill, a smooth, warm glossa sliding over the rapidly heating metal.

"Scorponok…" Optimus moaned as he tried to pull the drone off. Long claws curled around his chestplates and tried to open them, but the larger mech shoved Scorponok off. "Scorponok, no!"

A sudden beeping sounded and Optimus frowned, looking at the comm. request for a private link.

Username: Scorponok

Optimus opened the link tentatively. Suddenly something whirled through his processors, new programs installing themselves within seconds. Through the haze of acceptance requests and alerts, Optimus saw a pair of golden optics staring at him blankly.

Suddenly everything vanished in a haze of warnings, alerts and glittering liquid gold.

oOo

Starscream sneered and shuddered as he sat on the moon. His coolants were beginning to freeze along with the energon shards in his lines. When he had escaped from Earth he ahd not been able to refuel and so his heating system (the most fuel consuming system) had shut down. On this cold rock he was quickly feeling the affects.

He had two options right now and neither was really particularly appealing:

Option one: He could remain here, on the moon, and freeze until his deactivation or deactivate from starvation.

Option two: He could comm. the Autobots and ask for shelter and care.

Starscream felt a comm. call and blinked.

Username: Scorponok

The drone was alive? Starscream responded, opening the private comm. link. He was immediately bombarded with information, requests and coordinates.

Taking all of this in, Starscream stood on wobbly legs, transformed in a symphony of agonies and took off towards earth.


	3. Mate

oOo

Mate, Verb: 1: Archaic : Equal, Match 2: To join or fit together 3: To become mated : To Copulate.

oOo

Optimus glared at Scorponok, the drone skittering beside him, clicking and rubbing claws together gently. Ever since the drone had downloaded those new programs Optimus felt as if his mind was not his own. Scorponok often tried to "talk" to him by requesting a comm. link, but every time he did so, Optimus refused to do so.

Also, after the data transfer, Optimus had noticed the development of a small port on his back and another one on his chest, right over his spark chamber and between his windshields. Scorponok would latch onto those ports and drain small amounts of energy from Optimus.

Scorponok's mandibles clicked together and he let out a soft trill, skittering up to his host, looking up like a kicked puppy. Optimus kicked out at the drone, wanting it to do nothing more than curl up and spontaneously combust. But right now that prospect didn't look like it would happen in the near future.

"Incoming!" Ratchet called and Optimus turned his attention to the new arrivals. Luckily, they would be landing in the same field where he himself had landed, so they were not in danger of harming any humans.

Three huge stasis pods crashed into the earth, scaring it and forming three craters.

"Well, well, well, Ratch', looks like you're going to be in your quarters for a while." Ironhide chortled as he looked into the first crater. A glittering, iridescent blue and white form appeared and blue optics looked down at the slim frame.

"Oh dear! Ugh! Why does this planet have to be so dirty?" Mirage ran a hand over his chassis and smoothed the other over his helm. "I'm a mess!"

"Raj?" Ratchet asked and the blue and white mech looked up, optics widening before the mech raced forward, forgetting about being dirty.

"Ratchet!" Mirage threw himself at the older mech, clinging to him and kissing him soundly, causing several wolf-whistles from the other mechs. Ironhide looked into the next crater and grinned, reaching in and pulling out a red minibot who looked almost identical to Bumblebee.

"Hey Cliffjumper, nice trip?"

"Frag you, Hide!" The abrasive minibot snarled as Hide held him by the scruffbar, the minibot kicking and wriggling.

"Okay… Data transfer."

Cliffjumper stopped struggling for a moment before shifting into his new alt-mode: a red Nissan Pirus.

"Nice." Mirage mumbled and Cliffjumper fairly preened in car mode (a sight for anyone watching).

"Why thank you, Mirage." Cliffjumper purred.

"Not you imbecile!" Cliffjumper transformed and looked at Mirage, who was now a white and baby blue Mercury Grand Marquee. "Hmm…" Mirage ran a hand over his chassis and smirked at Ratchet, who grinned back. "Nice to know that ones mate still has some sense of taste."

Cliffjumper fumed but was distracted by a stream of words from the last crater. Bumblebee had done the data transfer for this one and everyone saw now just who it was.

Bluestreak came out of the crater, looking over his new datsun mode. Sleek, blue and black and able to reach speeds of nearly two hundred MPH, Bluestreak's alt-mode was exactly like his mouth.

"Wow, this is really great, I love this earth tech. A bit primitive, but other than that it has a certain classic charm all its own. Bumblebee, would you mind taking me around the town to observe the locals?"

"Sure, Bluestreak, just wait until we get you settled." Bumblebee chuckled and Optimus managed a smile.

"Optimus, look out!" Cliffjumper shouted, his cannons coming out and firing off at the ground near Optimus' feet.

A shrill squeal of distress and Scorponok was scuttling up Optimus' leg to latch onto his chest, tail curling around his waist securely.

"Optimus, its on your chest!" CLiffjumper's cannons started up again and Ratchet let out a barked order.

"Stand down, soldier! You'll hit Optimus!" Ironhide grabbed the minibot, pointing the cannon to the ground.

Cliffjumper stared at Optimus and the older mech sighed, looking down at the trembling Scorponok.

"I can explain everything back at the base."

oOo

Optimus leaned back in his chair and looked around at the others, seeing disbelief on the faces of Cliffjumper, Mirage and Bluestreak. They were in the main control room of the base, sitting at a large table with several chairs around it.

"So that thing basically bonded with you after Blackout deactivated?" Cliffjumper slumped in his chair and stared at Scorponok, who had refused to be moved from Optimus' chest unless his host was in vehicle mode.

"Not a complete bond, mind you." Ratchet explained further. "You see, without Optimus opening his spark to Scorponok, the bond is premature, if not anything more than simply an imprint. Should Optimus fully sparkbond with Scorponok is his choice, but should he chose not to Scorponok would still attempt to establish something of a brother bond if not a full bond."

Cliffjumper glared at the drone and snarled.

"Oughtta just wrench the little fragger off and deactivate him quickly."

"That is easier said than done, Cliffjumper." Optimus sighed. He nodded to Ironhide and the Weapons Specialist came over and grabbed a hold of Scorponok. The drone clicked and churred in distress, the sounds making Optimus clench the arms of his chair to keep from clutching the drone to his chest. There was a groan and screech as metal was bent and Ironhide grunted as he tried to pull Scorponok away.

"Enough!" Optimus shouted, groaning when Ironhide released the drone and stepped back. Scorponok shifted and settled back into position as the metal bent back into shape. Optimus sighed and looked down at the drone. "Even with the combined strength of Ratchet, Hide and Bee we still couldn't get him off. He only releases me when he sees fit."

"Wow…" Bluestreak whispered and Cliffjumper snorted.

"Sucks to be Prime." Bumblebee slapped the other minibot on the back of the head. "Why you little." Cliffjumper stood, but there was a beep from the consul of the control room, causing everyone to turn and look at it.

"St-rsc---m to Op-mus P--me." A familiar voice called over the communicator, static lacing the transmission. "C--e in, Prime." Optimus walked over to the communication device and pressed a button.

"This is Optimus Prime, what do you want, Starscream?" A series of coordinates flashed on the screen as Starscream spoke again.

"My en--gon li--s -re al--st fr---n and -'m r--id-y lo--ng c--tro- of my fl--ht pa--ern. I do-'- kn-- ho- l--g u--il I-" The transmission cut out and Optimus pressed the response button.

"Starscream? Come in Starscream." Static greeted his words and Optimus turned to his soldiers.

"Men, it looks like we'll be heading a search and rescue mission, Ratchet, Cliffjumper, Bumblebee and Ironhide, you four go to the coordinates, I'll stay here with the others and we'll see if we can get through to any of the other Decepticons. I believe Barricade and Frenzy are still functioning."

"Affirmative." Bumblebee nodded and the four mechs walked out of the room. Prime brought up a map and pinned the coordinates on it, trying to see where Starscream might have crashed.

oOo


	4. Demimonde

oOo

Demimonde Noun: 1: A class of women on the fringes of respectable societies that are supported by wealthy lovers 2: Prostitutes 3: A group engaged in activity doubtful of legality or propriety.

oOo

Barricade and Frenzy were enroute to where Starscream's distress signal was coming from somewhere outside of New Orleans.

"Hur-rry, Cade!" Frenzy urged and the mustang sped up, turning on his lights and sirens. They began searching and noticed several humans huddling around something in an alley.

Pulling up to the alley they spotted their new commander, Starscream, lying in the alley, jet form covered in ice that was quickly melting in the Louisana heat. Standing next to the heap of metal was a holoform and Barricade had to reboot his optics at the sight.

It was definitely Starscream. Jaw length strawberry blonde hair, a sleek, slim figure and blood red eyes smirking along with full lips. Starscream's holoform was similar to the other men surrounding him. Most were black skinned, but several were Caucasian with sly grins and greasy fingers fondling the silk tube top Starscream was wearing, running over black clad thighs or pinching the redhead's ass. Starscream spotted Barricade and brushed off his admirers, walking over to the police car and running a manicured hand over the hood. Barricade surpressed a shudder, rolling the window down so that Starscream could lean on the window and smirk at him.

Barricade activated his holoform while Frenzy folded into his stereo alt-mode, looking at Starscream. Barricade's holoform was a broad, strong male with spiked black hair with a white streak at the widow's peak that formed at the bangs also. Red eyes watched from a sharp angled face that would have been quite handsome if not for the scar running across the left corner of the mouth to the underside of the chin.

"Better get ready to be friendly, copper, cause the Autobots are coming to pick me up for repairs." Starscream's holoform reached out to run a red nail over Barricade's scar, the redhead smirking as he moved closer. "I quite like this new alt-mode of yours, its not as awe inspiring as mine, but its cute."

"You've contacted the Autobots." Barricade's holoform stated nonchalantly, even though a flash of anger seethed in his optics. Starscream sighed and nodded.

"None of the other decepticons have responded to my messages and right now they are our only choice so far as repairs and fueling go. The war is over with anyway and if we want to survive we'll have to surrender to them or offline." Starscream pulled back at the sound of other engines, looking around to see a familiar yellow camaro along with a certain Search and Rescue vehicle and topkick. A strange red car was also there and Starscream quirked an eyebrow as he looked over the sleek red form. Now that was a good looking alt-mode.

"Starscream, Barricade." Ratchet's holoform activated and stepped out of the hummer. It was an older male of about forty with jaw length, sandy blonde hair pulled back in a… what did the humans call it? Horsetail? Zebratail? No… Pony… A ponytail. Anyway, Starscream shrugged that thought off and looked over Ratchet. The doctor wore a pair of jeans and a white jacket with a Cybertronian red cross on the arm. Ironhide's holoform also stepped out of his alt-mode and looked over at the men now beginning to look over Starscream's jet form that had crashed in the alley.

"Show's over boys, now git." The large veteran walked over, one sight of the numerous scars on the square, angular face and the huge, muscular body and the humans were gone. Bumblebee didn't activate his holoform, but the new arrival, whatever his name was, did and Starscream quirked an eyebrow.

The car had not been able to activate a human holoform and so was trying to create one by working on his cybertronian holoform. The image was about five foot seven with a fire red paintjob and looking almost identical to Bumblebee. Slowly the holoform began to change, gaining a messy red hairstyle, a fairly muscled and tanned body with a scowling face that looked suited to a sixteen year old boy. Blue eyes glittered angrily and Starscream looked over the form appreciatively, moving forward and circling around the mech.

"Well, well, well… Did I happen to ever see you in Vos?" Starscream asked as he stood before the smaller male, a hand cocked on his hip.

"Frag off, Decepticon."

"Oh, still holding a nasty grudge?" Starscream let out a dramatic sigh. "You can drop it now, though. Without an army or even a proper squad the Decepticon cause is lost." Starscream looked pointedly at Ratchet. "And without the Allspark the war has truly come to a complete end."

"How do we know that you will not betray us the way you betrayed Megatron?" Ratchet asked warily. Starscream quirked an eyebrow.

"Barricade, Scorponok and Frenzy are the last of the Decepticon Army as far as I know, I have been unable to contact any others so all I can think of is that they are lost to space.


End file.
